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Policy Analysis No. 516

European Union Defense Policy: An American Perspective

By
Leslie S. Lebl

June 24, 2004

Executive Summary

For almost 50 years, proposals by the European Union to develop
a common foreign and security policy for all member states failed.
Since the late 1990s, however, the situation has changed. Despite,
or perhaps because of, member states’ disagreements over Iraq, the
EU probably will continue to develop common foreign and security
policies, and the European Commission may begin to play a role in
developing new European military capabilities.

In the military sphere, the EU may well improve its own
operational and long-term defense planning and perhaps develop new
joint capabilities. On the one hand, that will provide further
impetus for EU military missions independent of NATO. On the other
hand, the emergence of a common EU foreign and security policy will
likely lead to an informal “EU caucus” in NATO, a dynamic that may
grow with the dual enlargements of both NATO and the EU. Within 5
to 10 years, the question may be whether the EU will undertake a
role as guarantor of European defense and how that will mesh, if at
all, with NATO’s role.

If the United States is facing a fundamental shift in how the
Europeans approach security and defense issues, how should U.S.
policymakers react? In the larger picture, are they likely to
perceive the EU as a partner, a troublesome obstacle, a potential
“counterweight,” or an opponent? And what about our transatlantic
security arrangements? For example, what impact would the proposed
EU policies and capabilities have on NATO? What will be the impact
of the enlarged membership of NATO and the EU on NATO’s response to
those changes? How might EU capabilities affect the U.S. role in
Europe, or our security interests elsewhere in the world?

NATO will have to change as the EU develops its common foreign
and security policy; it will have to adjust to a growing EU
military capability for conducting operations outside Europe. And,
in 5 to 10 years, the EU may decide that it wants to assume
responsibility for the defense of Europe. In that case, the United
States should negotiate a new security relationship with Europe.
Under the new treaty arrangements, the United States would be
responsible for the territorial defense of the United States, and
Europe for the territorial defense of Europe. Both could cooperate
on out-of-area operations of common vital interest, using current
NATO political structures and the NATO integrated command as a
foundation for future cooperation.

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Policy Analysis

Leslie S. Lebl is a former U.S. Foreign Service officer with
particular expertise in European political and defense issues.
Among her many assignments during a 24-year career, she served as
minister-counselor for political affairs at the U.S. Mission to the
European Union in Brussels, and she had two tours as political
adviser to the commander of stabilization forces (SFOR) in
Bosnia-Herzegovina.